My Desire Is To Win! The Skywatch
by Tsubame Sanosuke
Summary: Sequel of My Desire Is To Win; After being finally freed from his past, Siegfried began a new life with Claire, once his mistress, now his wife. But when fate brings a new Ascalonian, announcing the Day of First Roar, Sieg is forced to once again take his weapons and dive into a world of battles to protect those he loves. Hope fights Hatred while destiny is written once again.
1. Dreams, Revolution and Departure

Chapter 1 – Dreams, Revolution and Departure

A dark sky… Without moon nor stars… Only darkness. Two big red eyes looked at him, as if ready to pierce him with a knife. Siegfried stood still, staring at the red eyes among the darkness of the night. A mouth, a big mouth full of teeth as sharp as sickles, opened right under the red eyes, letting a powerful and prideful roar escape. Sieg brought his hand to his waist, searching for the handle of Arondight, but the sword wasn't there. He stepped back as the creature advanced.

A lightning cracked the sky, revealing the beast in front of him.

A Black Dragon, double the size of the one he killed back in his village, with five huge horns above his head, three pointed backward, and two pointed forward. His scales looked like black shields, his claws were like the curved swords used by the elves, the tail ended with an axe-like structure, and the wings were big and strong enough to bring a building down with just one flap.

Without a weapon, the redhead appealed to his Thaumaturgical Circuits, but the sword markings weren't showing up, even with Siegfried saying all the enchantment. The beast continued its slow advance, as if savoring the moment. No weapon, no Thaumaturgy. What could he do?

Another roar.

Sieg looked back, and saw another dragon, just like the Black Dragon that was in front of him, except by its color. The second dragon was a white one, but had the same fierce and ferocious spirit printed in its eyes. The White Dragon rushed against Siegfried, but the redhead jumped off of his way, and the two creatures began a mortal fight.

Were they fighting to decide the one who would hunt Sieg down and devour him?

Even if that was the case, Sieg couldn't run. His legs couldn't move. His brain couldn't think. He couldn't fight.

The White Dragon buried its teeth on the neck of the other, and the Black Dragon did the same thing. The two were holding the other's neck firmly, then stood up on their rear legs, and began to exchange claw blows to the body, and tail attacks to the rear legs and back. Each attack unleashed a sound as like a heavy stone falling to the ground. Sieg was astonished. He never heard about dragons fighting in a way like that.

No breath attacks, no flying around. Just powerful hand-to-hand attacks, strong enough to take down a big oak with just one blow.

The Black Dragon put his forelegs on the chest of his enemy and pushed him away, freeing himself from the neck hold, but the White Dragon responded with a left-right combination of his claws to his enemy's head. The black one turned around, and slammed his tail on the side of the face of the White Dragon, who did the exactly same thing after getting hit.

The two roared viciously, louder than any thunder could be.

Sieg awoke abruptly, in a cold sweat, scared. He looked to the corners of the bedroom to be sure he was alone. Then he looked to his right, and saw his wife sleeping peacefully. He stroked her long, silky pink hair. Already 3 years had passed since Colossus was defeated, and Claire was still the 'safe house' of the redhead, the one he trusted the most.

Claire awoke with the movement on her hair, and looked a little bit confused to her husband. She was very sleepy, after all, it was late night and she was in the middle of a deep slumber. Claire sat up in the bed, rubbing her eyes to get rid of the sleepiness, her silky nightdress revealing her abdomen and thighs, and giving a certain attention to her bust, now a little more developed.

"What is it?" she asked after yawning. "Do you want to do it again already?"

"C'mon…" Sieg answered, blushing a little. "Can't I stroke my wife's hair without perverted intentions?"

"Maybe yes, maybe not. I'm not quite sure yet." Claire replied, nuzzling in the arms of the redhead. "The dragons again?"

"Yeah…" Sieg sighed, remembering the clash of the creatures. "And more real than last time."

"It's just a dream, relax." Claire said, running her hand trough the muscular abdomen of her husband. "You are accustomed to live your life in all kinds of battlefields; your mind is just trying to compensate the absence of a real fight."

"Maybe so…" Sieg said, but didn't believe it. He felt, deep in his heart, those dreams weren't just a trick of his mind. "If that's the case, I will stop seeing those dragons after tomorrow."

"Oh, we will test the familiars of the Magic Academy's students tomorrow. I almost forgot." Claire said, taking her index finger to her lips. "Hey, what do you think? Will someone summon the Ardens Victoria again?"

"I doubt that." Sieg rejected that idea without thinking twice. "Let's take it easy on the kids ok?"

"Kids? They aren't too much younger than us you silly, but ok, I don't want to make someone be held back a year." Claire then sat on the lap of the redhead, held his chin gently with her left hand, and approached her lips from his. "And what about my first question?"

"What?" Sieg's face was redder than his hair. He tried to increase the distance between him and Claire, but his back encountered the bed's headboard, and his wife approached him once again. "Claire you know very well how much nervous I get when you do this kind of stuff!"

"Why not? You already woke me up, and I won't be able to sleep again unless I'm tired." Claire stated, and she had a good point.

She approached a little more, resting her hands on his shoulders, and one could feel the breath of the other. Sieg made the final advance, kissing his wife, embracing her on his arms, and laying her beneath him. Claire enlaced Sieg's neck with her arms, taking out any chance he had to escape, and deepened their kiss. After three years, their feelings were still the same. The two fell asleep after about two hours, and of course, the battle between the dragons continued in Sieg's dreams.

Claire woke up some minutes after the rising of the morning sun, and saw her husband already prepared to travel; wearing the red and silver armor he wore three years ago, during the battle between the Halkeginia's Alliance and the Undead Army. The draconic armor used against Colossus, he never used again. He never had to use it again. Arondight was on his waist, as always.

Claire got out of the bad cursing the redhead for not calling her, but stopped the insults when she remembered they wouldn't need to use a carriage or a horse to get to the Magic Academy. They got Angelus, so the travel would be really quick; and they weren't even out of Tristain. She went to take a good bath, choose some good clothes to wear, brush her hair and other things Sieg himself didn't see any need.

Louise and Saito insisted to the couple to take residence with them in Ornielle Mansion, alleging the place was already too lonely, and was going to be even more without Claire visiting them from time to time. Furthermore, Claire and Sieg didn't have a place to stay besides his house in Herzen Schwarts, and the girl still needed to finish her studies. After that, one thing led to the other, and the couple took permanent residence in the mansion.

Claire was having her breakfast with her father and mother at the garden, while Sieg, who never had the habit of eating during morning, prepared Angelus to the travel, after paying a visit to Alexia, that now lived in Ornielle with other horses. Saito had a strange face while eating, like if something wasn't right. Claire was curious and worried at the same time; after all, her father was an easy going man. What could've happened to let him like that?

"Father…" Claire said after drinking a little bit of orange juice. "You're weird today. What happened?"

"I couldn't sleep last night then I went to take a night walk around the house, and, by chance, I heard you and Siegfried in your room…" Saito said, with a face that gave Claire some chills.

"W-W-W-W-W-W-What?" The girl's face gained a shining red color. That was a normal thing to married couples to do, but her father hearing it… Absolutely WASN'T even a little bit normal.

"Is he still having those dreams with the dragons?" The man asked, but saw his daughter embarrassment before she could regain her composure. "And what about that face? Did I miss something yesterday?"

"Of c-c-c-course not!" Claire put a huge slice of bread on her mouth, desperate to change the subject. "We only talked about his dream and then we slept. This bread is delicious, congratulate the cook for me!"

"Claire." Saito said, staring his daughter as if he stared to a thief. "What were you doing last night on your bedroom?"

"W-W-Well, we talked a-about how we w-would test the familiars t-t-today, then he f-fell asleep b-because he was to t-tired from training the P-P-Palace Guards…" Claire was trying to gain some time. Why was Siegfried taking so long to prepare the dragon?

"Saito, leave the girl in peace." Louise interrupted. She had her own share of fun seeing her daughter. "They are married remember?"

"I just don't want dirty things in MY house." Saito retorted.

"It's their house too." Louise continued to defend the couple. "Or did you forget they are living here because of us? They can move out and live in Siegfried's house in Germania if you want."

"NO WAY!" Saito trembled, thinking what could happen to his little daughter if she and Siegfried were living so far away of his vigilant eyes. "Claire, I don't care about what you do with that spitfire as long as you live here!"

"Angelus is ready!" Sieg yelled. "Sorry it took so long! She wasn't very comfortable with the new saddle but I already took care of it!"

"Right!" Claire yelled back. "Bye mom, bye dad. See you later."

"Wait right there!" Saito said, realizing the stupidity of what he said before. "I DO care about what you two do! Claire come back here!"

He chased his daughter through the gardens, but the girl was faster, and younger, and managed to reach Angelus before her father, but still could hear his screams. Sieg looked to the direction of his father-in-law's voice and arched one of his eyebrows when he saw the man chasing Claire, and almost losing all of his breath.

"Protector Crisis again?" Sieg, already mounted on Angelus, asked while helping Claire to climb up.

"Yeah, but he is getting over it. Just six times this month, it is a good number, you gotta admit." The mage answered, sitting behind her husband. "Shall we?"

"C'mon girl!" Sieg snapped the reins, giving Angelus the signal to take flight.

"SIEGFRIED!" Saito tried to chase, on foot, the flying dragon. Just like he did three years ago.

"How do you wanna test the familiars?" Sieg asked, while riding the dragon towards the Magic Academy. "The only way I know to test something is fighting, but I bet you know a more… Hm… Peaceful way."

"It will depend of the familiar." Claire answered, finally feeling comfortable while flying on the back of a dragon, after some bad experiences. "A simple test of obedience will be enough in most cases, but probably one or two of the familiars will require something a little more… Challenging."

"Like I did!" Sieg remembered and couldn't hold back a giggle. General Gramont's face when Sieg put the old nodachi against his neck was priceless. "It would be interesting if someone summoned a griffin, or perhaps even a dragon, a manticore like the one of your grandmother isn't bad too. The last time I used the Infinity Soul Blades was so long ago that I almost forgot the words."

"Don't dare to use Thaumaturgy against them!" Claire's eyes widened when she heard what Sieg was saying. "They are just students yet, and I bet most of them are already scared to know we are going to test their familiars."

"With this I have to agree… What Old Osmond was thinking when he invited us? And what was you thinking when you accepted?" Sieg said, wondering why the old man would make his students face a Void Mage and an Ascalonian.

"There's a recent theory that says pressure affects the summoning. Osmond wants to test this by comparing the expected results with the real familiars." Claire said, looking for the Academy in the horizon. "And it's a great honor to participate in the ceremony, I couldn't refuse. Also, Osmond is trusting on us to test that theory."

"And what do you think about that? Can pressure affect the familiar summoning?" Sieg asked more to keep the chat flowing then for interest. Magic wasn't his thing.

"Yes, but if it affects positively or negatively depends of the mage itself, like any other spell." Claire answered. "There! The Academy is right there! The second-year students are already waiting for us! Go faster Sieg!"

"Calm down, they can wait five seconds while I land safely." Sieg said, flying around the towers of the bedrooms to slowly decrease Angelus's speed, and then landing in the garden, in front of the students and the other guests.

"Claire! Siegfried!" Colbert was coordinating the summoning, like he always had. "I can't describe how much I'm happy to see you two again."

"I'm very happy too Professor." Claire said, while her husband simply waved. "We can begin at any time."

"Right now." Colbert pointed to a redhead girl who was staring at Siegfried as if he was a ghost or something. "Mademoiselle, you will be the first and Siegfried will test you. Begin when you're ready."

"Y-Yes!" The girl entered the Summoning Area with a low head, staring at her shoes as if her life depended on it. "Ok… Here I go…"

"Relax a little." Sieg said firmly. "I won't use Thaumaturgy to test your familiar, nor something of that level. Breath, and summon something nice."

"Y-Yes sir!" The girl took a deep breath, tried to calm down, and then began her enchantment. "Pentagram of the five elements, hear my voice and answer my pray. May you choose the familiar that will be the best for me, and bring it here in front of me to be accepted."

A yellow pentagram opened in the ground, with a gentle breeze blowing the girls hair upwards. It took some moments, but the familiar jumped off of the pentagram, surprising Siegfried, who had no idea of what expect. The girl, on the other side, was rater happy with what she summoned.

"A ram?" Sieg scratched his head while asking himself what to do. "A big ram but… Hey Claire! How am I supposed to test a ram?"

"Shut up you idiot!" Claire yelled, her face red with embarrassment. "You will embarrass the girl! Just ask her to order the ram to do something."

"Right…" Sieg waited for the girl to kiss the ram and finish the contract. It was just him who found strange a girl kissing a ram? That wasn't important. "Miss, you heard my wife. Order your ram show me what he can do."

As if the mind of the girl and the mind of the ram were connected, the animal advanced at Sieg just after the redhead stop talking. What was that big white horned thing up to do? Sieg thought while the ram approached. He was completely clueless. The ram then jumped, and hit Sieg with its hard head, right between the legs. The Dragon Child knelt, with both hands on his injured friend, victim of a ferocious ram…

"Even I felt that one…" Arondight said, seemingly painfully.

"He passed!" Sieg said with a high pitched voice, fighting to hold back some tears. "A strong headbutt… Congratulations…"

Claire covered her face with her hand, ashamed. Her husband was completely useless outside a battlefield. Maybe she just had to take care of the tests herself and just call him if some tougher familiar showed up. Yeah, that was the best thing to do. She walked to her husband, grabbed him by the collar and then dragged him out of the summoning area, without saying even one word of consolation. What would the nobles watching think? _The Dragon Child everyone was talking about is an idiot_.

"Right." Claire said after coming back to the summoning area. "The next one, please come."

And like that, the students came, one by one, summoning their familiars and being tested by Claire, while Siegfried was trying to understand how he could be so easily defeated by a ram… It was a big ram, but still, just a ram. Could it be that the time away from a real fight made the redhead a little rusty?

Maybe.

"Sieg." Claire's voice dragged Siegfried back to reality. "I will need your help with this one."

"Wow…" Sieg took a good look at the familiar. "A lava ogre… This sure brings back some memories."

"What my ogre must do?" asked a boy with long black hair.

"Hit me with his best shot." Sieg answered. It was a good chance to see if he really was rusty. "Bring it on!"

The lava ogre rushed against the redhead, who simply stepped back to escape his opponent's reach, and in response, punched the ogre's forehead, knocking it out.

"I'm not rusty after all…" Sieg said while looking at his right hand. "So how could a ram…"

"Stupid dog!" Claire didn't allow the redhead to complete his thinking, giving him a kick at the back of the neck. "Look what you did to the familiar!"

"He's not totally knocked out ya' know?" Sieg said while he stroked his neck. "He's still moaning… So he passed."

"Are you serious?" the boy asked perplexed. "But he was defeated with one single punch I…"

"I exaggerated." Sieg interrupted the student. "Even so, your ogre could barely maintain his conscience. A strong ogre, I must say."

"Well, this is just like Siegfried…" Colbert said while looking to the redhead who tried to wake up the ogre. "One moment being defeated by a ram, the other, knocking out a lava ogre with one single punch…"

"He's acting strange lately." Claire confessed to her former teacher. "Every night he haves a dream about two big dragons fighting, but not like normal ones. He said it was like hand-to-hand combat."

"I never heard about dragons fighting like that…" Colbert said what Claire already knew. "Do you think it have something to do with his Ascalonian blood?"

"I'm not sure…" Claire answered. "I think it's just a dream, but Sieg is taking it to seriously."

"I got your point Miss Vallière." Colbert understood what Claire was trying to say. "I will research trough the books we have, and tell you about anything I find."

After the incident with the lava ogre, the Summoning Ceremony went by without any greater problems, once Claire tested all the remaining students and their familiars. Siegfried could be a great warrior, a brilliant strategist, and even one of the best sword fighting teachers in Halkeginia, but his almost total lack of common sense prevented him from being able to do simple things without screwing everything up, like familiars tests.

The redhead was really depressed for being tossed away by his wife like that, but as soon as a girl summoned a griffin, Siegfried forgot his sadness and suddenly was overjoyed. It was the first time he saw a griffin.

Claire just hid her face in embarrassment. How could her husband be so naïve some times? But this was one of the reasons she loved that spitfire.

"Well, everything's finished." Sieg said, desperate to go home and examine carefully how a simple ram defeated him. "Right?"

"Miss Vallière, did you forget?" Colbert asked gently. "About the dance tonight?"

"Oh crap!" Claire said, slapping her forehead. "I completely forgot."

"Good thing I have some extra dresses in my room." A familiar voice said behind Claire, surprising not only the young mage, but also Siegfried.

"Cassandra?" Sieg asked rhetorically, turning his gaze to look his sister. "Give your brother a hug!"

"Hello brother." Cassandra said, doing exactly what Sieg requested. "I missed you so much."

"Training the Palace Guards is taking much of my time, but I promise I'll go to Germania as soon as I can." Sieg explained why he hasn't seen his sister in a while.

"It's true, some days it's hard even to me to see him." Said Claire, letting a point of jealously escape within her words. "But tell me, what is the Empress of Germania doing here? Is the dance the only reason?"

"If the annual commemoration of our victory against Colossus isn't a good reason, I don't know what else could be." Cassandra answered. "But in fact, I was dying to see my old fellows, my brother here the most!"

The blonde girl hugged Siegfried tightly. The two grew very attached to each other, as if they had passed many, many years together. Cassandra rarely took any decision without an advice from Siegfried, and Siegfried did the same. Some rumors even said that, even if Cassandra was the only one appearing to rule, the former Commander of The Alliance Army reigned with his sister, as an advisor, and sometimes, as Emperor.

But all were just stupid rumors.

Cassandra and Claire parted to the blonde's room, with the intention to find a dress for Claire to wear. Siegfried wasn't even a bit worried with that matter, once he was already wearing his most elegant outfit. The clothes he used at the coronation of his sister, and also the day he was announced as Prince of Germania to the rest of Halkeginia.

The redhead was still at the Summoning Area, the place where his life changed completely, and forever. From that point beyond, he became a much better person, and for that, he was ultimately grateful.

But yet, one thing still haunted his mind. Those dreams… The dragons fighting each other… What could that possibly mean? Was Claire right? Could he be taking simple dreams far too seriously?

He knew no answer for that question. The only thing he knew for sure was that he had been too many hours thinking about that. The sky was already dark, and Claire's voice was loud and clear, calling for the redhead.

"Siegfried." Colbert stopped the redhead. "Claire told me about your dreams, and I think I found something that could help."

"Tell me." Sieg requested. Claire could wait a little longer. "Something to do with this book of yours?"

"Everything to do with this book." Colbert opened the book, and showed a picture of two dragons fighting each other, hand-to-hand. "According to the author, Brianne, Ascalonians had dreams about a white dragon fighting a black one in hand-to-hand combat as a sign of a great battle."

"Battle against who? Or what?" Sieg knew those dreams weren't common dreams, and now he was more worried than ever. "I never had those dreams and lived great part of my life in battles."

"Sadly she ended the chapter here and don't say any other things, but I'm certain that if you can find her at the Elven Desert, she will give you more information." Colbert said, pointing to the last page of the book. "Those are the coordinates to her home, she put those here so anyone with information about Ascalonians could find her."

"Offering her home to strangers? Is this girl insane?" Sieg was astonished.

"She is the daughter of Luctiana of Nephthys, niece of Bidashal of Nephthys, two powerful elves known to Louise and Saito." Colbert said that, remembering he hadn't mentioned this to the redhead yet. "I'm pretty sure she doesn't have to worry about people trying to hurt her."

"Elves…" Siegfried pondered and took the book. "Right, I will tell this to Claire once the dance is over, thanks Professor."

After thanking Colbert, Siegfried continued on his way to the ballroom, where his wife would certainly already be, and waiting for him as impatient as ever, but it wasn't important. The important thing was that he finally had a clue about his dreams.

Arriving at the ballroom, on the top of one of the towers, the first thing he saw was his wife, wearing a green dress without sleeves and a discreet cleavage, adorned with golden ornaments over the chest and abdomen. Her hair was loose, a rarity in occasions like that, but Siegfried loved it that way.

Right by her side was Cassandra, wearing a red dress, her favorite color, with long sleeves and a more prominent cleavage, with the same gold ornaments of Claire's dress, with her golden hair tied in a bun with the help of a red ribbon. Just as beautiful as Claire.

Sieg walked until he reached the two women, and, without them realizing he was near, kissed his wife's nape, causing her to shiver and turn to face him at the same instant, with an incredulous look on her face.

"Are you crazy Sieg?" Claire asked blushing heavily. "Look at all the people in here."

"Everyone here knows we are married." Sieg replied without thinking twice.

"I'm jealous." Cassandra said, obviously kidding.

"Do Your Majesty accept a glass of wine?" a waiter, with long dark blue hair tied in a ponytail, asked with a tray full of glasses on a hand and a jar of wine on the other. "It was made especially for tonight."

"I accept." Cassandra said, taking one of the glasses and being served by the waiter. "Claire, do you want some?"

"Yes, I think it's okay to have a little bit." Claire answered, imitating the movements oh her sister-in-law. "Sieg?"

"No, I'm fine." Sieg denied the drink, remembering the last time he drank too much and ended up at the bed of one of the young ladies in Herzen Schwert, months before meeting Claire.

"If you need anything, don't hesitate and just call me." The waiter made a slight bow, ad took his leave.

"I don't remember seeing this guy around…" Sieg said just after the young man left.

"Maybe a new worker, or just here to help today and then never more…" Claire said, drinking her wine. "How is it called?"

"Temporary job?" Cassandra nailed it. "It's possible, given the number of people here."

"It's too quiet…" Sieg sighed. "The first time The Hundred Swords don't…"

The band suddenly stopped the music, and the sound of a glass being hit by a spoon filled the ears of everyone.

"Nobles of Halkeginia, be welcome to the Annual Celebration of the Alliance Victory." The waiter who served wine to Cassandra and Claire was the one speaking. "My name is Urick Schneider, and I expect that everyone liked the wine we prepared for you tonight."

Saying that, the other waiters and waitresses pulled daggers, hidden in their clothes, and put the blades at the necks of some students. Siegfried quickly drew Arondight, but if he moved a little bit more, someone could get hurt.

"Now, now, let's calm down." Urick said, with tranquility on his voice that not even the most old and wise man in Halkeginia could match. "The wine you drank is special. It will prevent you from casting any type of spell for some hours. Let's hear what I have to say then."

Urick looked directly to Siegfried, who was already prepared to decapitate the waiter.

"You had the dreams don't you? Then you know what's coming." Urick said to the redhead, and then turned his gaze to the others. "Soon, very soon, the two moons of this world and the sun will be aligned, completing once more a cycle of three thousand years, and again, changing the destiny of this world, but this time, I won't let nobles spoil everything… I will free the world of the mage scourge, and will not wait until the day of the First Roar! I will finish you all here and now, and then prepare to fight the Champion of the High Dragons!"

That was the right time to attack. The traitors were ready to cut the throats of the students and weren't expecting Siegfried to make his move. A violent swing of his sword, a powerful wind blast, and the students were free, with the traitors being pushed away, many of them dropping their weapons.

"Everyone! Run!" Siegfried roared, planning to serve as a shield while the nobles could escape. Without magic, they were helpless.

The traitors managed to get up, and then prepared to attack the redhead, but he was faster.

In the blink of an eye, Siegfried closed the distance between him and his enemies, slashing three of them with a single move. More tried to attack him from behind, but a violent swing of Arondight pushed them away, against a wall, and then to the ground.

"Hold!" Urick said, and his allies stopped, motionless. "Do you still fight for these people? After all they did to us?"

"Look, I don't know who you are or what your reasons are." Sieg said with a calm voice, but hiding a powerful wish to fight. "But these students here are the sons and daughter of the men who fought by my side, and the other nobles also fought by my side. By the way, none ever did something against me."

"Mages are the ones to blame for the near extinction of our kind." Urick replied. "And more than that, they abuse their own kind, the weaker ones, the ones who cannot use magic."

"Our kind?" Sieg asked, incredulous. "Do you mean… Are you Ascalonian too?"

"Precisely, my brother." Urick answered, with a small smile forming on his lips. "Did you think you were alone?"

"Not even for a sec. I have my wife, my sister, and many other friends." Sieg retorted, tightening the grip of his sword, his runes shining after so many years. "The ones you said you gonna kill!"

Sieg was preparing to rush against his enemy, and did it at the same moment he finished speaking, with the intention to nailing Arondight's blade at Urick's heart. Just some inches separated the two, Sieg knew there was nothing his opponent could do at such small distance.

A sudden pain on his ribs, and Sieg was thrown to the side, rolling on the ground. He quickly got up, and saw Urick lowering his leg. A kick? It wasn't important. Sieg tried to advance once more, but as he supported his weight on his left leg, his body crumbled.

His ribs were broken, two or more, with a single kick.

Urick advanced with a lightning speed, and hit Sieg's face with his right knee, and sending the redhead backwards. The blue haired one then grabbed his opponents head and lifted him up, only to hit his temple with a violent elbow strike.

Sieg was sent to the ground once more.

"Is this everything you have? I don't even need my sword." Urick said, unbuttoning his shirt. "We are the last two Ascalonians in this world, it means we will face each other at the day of First Roar, and you don't even know how to properly fight without a weapon…"

Sieg managed to get up, using Arondight as support to his weight, and when Urick advanced to attack him again, he leaned backwards, dodging his enemy's kick, and answered with a pommel strike to the forehead and then a slash at the waist line.

Urick dodged the pommel strike, and raised his leg, blocking the blade with his shin, and thus protecting his abdomen, but was hit by a pommel strike to the chin, what made him retreat a few steps.

"I'm just warming up." Sieg said after entering his combat pose once again. "Bring it on…"

"Ok…" Urick answered after cleaning up some blood on his chin. "I will finish you before the First Roar!"

The blue haired one advanced, his eyes glowing yellow, just like Sieg's eyes were at his battle against Colossus. The redhead froze.

A quick punch with his left hand followed up by a straight punch with his right hand, a low kick, then a kick to the ribs and a kick to the head, the three with his right leg, a knee strike to the ribs with his left one.

Sieg was hit by the six attacks, dropping Arondight at the process.

Urick grabbed Sieg on his nape, with both hands, in a way the redhead couldn't escape, and unleashed several knee strikes to his stomach, pushing him against a wall after the eighth strike, just to hit him with an elbow strike, right at the top of the head.

Why he couldn't fight? Why was Siegfried being used like a training dummy? After the battle with Colossus, Sieg never had those eyes, the eyes of a dragon, but not because he didn't want, but because he couldn't, like it was a power he could use only one time at his life.

That was what he thought, but there was someone using the same power, right there, and using it to crush the redhead.

How many punches he took to the head? Sieg was half conscious.

"Siegfried!" Claire's voice filled the redhead's ears. "Please help him!"

With those words, Sieg saw guards entering the ballroom. How many? He didn't know…

"Lucky bastard." Urick released Siegfried from his grip, and ran to the nearest window, just like his allies. "We will meet again brother. Become stronger, or don't get in my way!"

He said, and jumped just after, being catch in the air by a dragon, just like his allies, and flew to the horizon, disappearing from view.

"Sieg!" Claire ran to her husband, trying to maintain him awake. "C'mon love, hang it on just a little bit!"

His consciousness abandoned him, the last thing he heard was his wife's cries, the last thing he felt, her tears touching his face.

What exactly happened? The Ardens Victoria wasn't working like always, he wasn't sick or anything like that so… What was happening? Did he lose his desire to win? The fuel of his fighting spirit was no more?

His enemy was stronger too. He didn't need runes on his shoulder to fight, after all. Sieg remembered all the power he had on his hands when he fought the Colossus, the power that could smash an Ancient God… Urick had that power too, the same power.

No. It was different. Sieg didn't know what was different, but it was.

Three years without a real fight, without a battle for his life, a struggle against the Berserker, nothing.

His body wasn't rusty. He still could use a sword properly, still exercised every day. The problem was deeper than that. His instincts were rusty, he no longer had that burning passion for victory at all costs within his soul. He already had his ultimate victory… Claire.

But now, how could he protect her?

Sieg opened his eyes. He was laying in a bed, with Claire taking a nap in a chair right by his side. Long minutes passed by while he watched her, remembering the past three years with joy in his mind, but he had to leave those memories behind.

He got up, took Claire in his arms and lay her in the bed, covered her with the blanket, gently stroke her hair, and kissed her forehead, maintaining his lips in touch with her skin for many seconds.

A goodbye kiss.

"I love you Claire…" Sieg whispered, looking to his sleeping wife. "Never doubt that…"

For a moment he hesitated. He didn't want to leave her, but he needed. He needed to protect her, he needed to regain his strength, his powers, to protect her from that new enemy.

Siegfried left the room without making a noise, and quickly ran to the main garden, where he knew he was going to find Angelus.

If Urick was really an Ascalonian, Sieg needed to learn more about his kind, become once and for all, a real Ascalonian.

He didn't know much about that subject, but one person knew. An elf by the name of Brianne. His hopes of one day returning to Claire, were at the hands of that woman.

Siegfried snapped the reins on his hands, and Angelus took flight. Without looking back, the redhead left the Magic Academy behind.

A single tear rolled down his face…


	2. The Dragon Child and The Void Daughter

Chapter 2 – The Dragon Child and the Void Daughter

Angelus flew the fastest she could, passing through the clouds like a sharp dagger, hidden by the darkness of the night. Siegfried was probably already at Germania, given the dragon's speed. He needed to get the most far away of Tristain before the night ended. No… Just getting far wouldn't solve anything…

He needed to disappear.

He needed to disappear with the moon and the stars, and be a new person by the sunrise.

He knew exactly what to do. Sell his clothes, that could be easily recognized, buy new ones, hide Arondight, who could also be easily recognized, and get a new sword, preferably a totally different one. But he would need to wait for the morning to do so.

He instinctively looked to the ground, and saw some lights coming from the windows of what appeared to be an inn, constructed by the side of the road, far enough of any village or city. With enough luck, a merchant would be inside with something to trade.

"Angelus." Sieg said to his dragon, which drastically stopped. "Land behind that inn and hide in the forests. Como to me once the sun begins to rise."

Obeying its master, the Silver Dragon landed without making any noise, quite a feat, given the size of the proud creature.

There was music inside the inn, a good sign for the redhead. He walked around the construction and reached the front door, opening it and entering, feeling very comfortable with the warmth inside.

There were two men and two women around a bonfire, with a bard singing songs Sieg couldn't care less. Once he closed the door behind him, an old man wearing an apron approached him with both hands in front of his chest, with the fingers interlaced.

"Good night my master, do you need a room?" The old man asked with a gentle voice. "We have some vacant rooms, food and drinks."

"I'll need a room until tomorrow morning, and also some new clothes. Is there any merchant here?" Sieg answered, and made a question of his own.

"Well, I have some clothes I sell to the travelers, but I don't know if they will please you…" The old man said, looking to Sieg's clothes. Garments like those could only be property of a noble man.

"Anything will do." Sieg said, perceiving what the old man was trying to say. "Let's make an exchange, I give you my own clothes, and you give something I can use to travel to the desert."

"I fear I can't do it." The old man said, a little embarrassed. "I have the clothes you're asking for, but even with the room's rent, it will not be of the same valor of what you're offering me."

"Then give also a box where this sword can be hidden." Sieg sad, showing Arondight. "And the more different sword you have, if you have any."

"This I can accept." The old man agreed, picking a key out of his pockets. "This is the key to your room. I will take the things you asked for and bring them to you."

"Thank you very much." Sieg said after taking the key. "Number four right?"

Sieg found his room without any trouble, and quickly entered it. He took a look at the window, seeing the near forest. Angelus was there, probably sleeping, waiting for the sunrise.

For the first time in three years, he was alone. For a moment he thought to hear Claire's voice, even looking to his back, searching for the girl. He clenched his fists, cursing himself for letting this happen.

It was his fault, not hers. He was to blame for getting softer, not her.

A knock at the door.

His new equipment was there, waiting for him

Sieg quickly took of his clothes and gave them to the inn's owner, closing the door just after.

He took a close look to his new things. White pants, sand colored boots, white shirt, sand colored vest, sand colored gloves, and a white cloak with a hood. The sword was, in fact, a scimitar, just like Mountain Cutter, but of a normal size.

Perfect. Those were things he would never use at normal circumstances.

Suddenly the sleepiness struck the redhead's mind, forcing him to lay on his bed and close his eyes. At morning, he needed to vanish once again.

The sun began to rise a few hours later, and at the same time that Siegfried was again taking flight with Angelus, Claire was waking up after spending the entire night sleeping alone. Even if she didn't know about that.

"Sieg?" The young woman asked, not seeing her husband by her side. "Taking a morning walk again?"

She apparently didn't give a damn about her husband going to take a walk after being injured. She knew him very well, and knew he would need some time alone.

She then decided to take a quick bath before going out to find Siegfried, without even one single clue about what really happened.

After finishing her bath, she went to the kitchen to look for her husband. He got really hungry at that time in the morning, so, what better place to look for him?

She went down the stairs, passed through the gardens and reached the kitchens, but Siegfried was nowhere to be seen… Where could he be? She thought about any other places she could look for him, but a sudden thought stroke her mind.

Angelus wasn't at the gardens near the tower where her room was. The dragon was too big to be at the stables and would never get too far from Sieg. If Angelus wasn't there, than Siegfried wasn't either.

Claire ran to Old Osmond's office to know if the redhead had gotten worse and taken to another place, but the old man knew nothing. By a chance of destiny, Colbert was in the office too, and promptly told Claire about his conversation with Siegfried at the last day.

"I told him about an elf who studies Ascalonians…" Colbert said, already knowing where Sieg could be going. "I gave the localization of her house to him, and after what happened with Urick Schneider…"

"He left to look for her." Claire understood everything. "He wishes to learn more about his race and…"

"Fight Urick." Osmond interrupted. "Ascalonian against Ascalonian."

"Idiot! After three years of marriage he still wants to do everything on his own?" Claire shouted. "Professor, do you remember where this elf lives?"

"Sorry, but the book containing the map that I give to Sieg was the only one I had." Colbert said in a tone of apology.

"Fine!" Claire said. "I'll find him on my own!"

"Do you think it's wise, Miss Zweihander?" Osmond asked, locking the door of his office with a move of his wand. "There must be a reason why Siegfried left without you, and I think I know…"

"Why?" Claire asked. "Why he did that?"

"Because, I think, after three years without using his, let's call it combat skills, he got soft…" Osmond nailed it. "He must be thinking that he isn't capable of protecting you anymore, and decided to go on a quest not only to learn more about his Ascalonian powers, but to recover his animal instincts."

"The Ardens Victoria wasn't working as it used to last night…" Claire remembered, slightly lowering her head. "Do you think he lost his will to fight?"

"Not only that." Colbert spoke. "We also think that he lost the powers he obtained while training in Avalon."

"This I'm sure…" Claire said, getting even more depressed. "Sieg told me that Vivian was like a bridge between this world and Avalon, and once he served his purpose to retrieve Excalibur and she disappeared, also did the bridge, and his powers were no longer his."

"This explains more about his current situation…" Osmond said while smoking his tobacco pipe. "Miss Zweihander, things may get much worse from now on, but I have an idea you might like."

Claire just nodded. She knew very well that the old man, despite very, very old, was still at his perfect senses, and was more than capable of planning an action course to not only find her husband, but help him on his quest for the ancient powers of the Ascalonians.

"Make a team, a small group that can travel fast, search for Bidashal, an elf friend of your parents, and with him, find Siegfried." Osmond continued to speak. "I suggest you to call for people who knows Siegfried very well, and may help you to track him, and at the same time, can help you against any hardships on your way."

Those people were already at her mind. Setsuna was his childhood friend and also a formidable fighter, Jack and the Artemis could easily dispatch any problems while miles away, Louise was the strongest magician Claire ever met, Saito was beyond normal levels of fighting skill, and Elizabeth became a great water mage, even greater than her mother.

"I already know who to call." Claire answered just after hearing about that Bidashal. "My parents, Beth, Setsuna and Jack."

"I will go to." Said Colbert after Osmond gave him an affirmative look. "The Oastland isn't as fast as Angelus, but on foot you will never catch up with Siegfried.

"I will contact Lady Suguru with telepathy and explain the situation." Osmond said. "I'm sure she will happily lend Setsuna and Jack."

"I'm pretty sure she will come along." Claire said, remembering the old woman's strong personality.

Claire left the office, planning to go to her dorm and prepare her things for the long journey she would face. How could Siegfried be so stupid? So insensible? She began to get really angry, but for an unknown reason, she tried to view the circumstances by the redhead's point of view.

Feeling weak, unworthy, unable to protect himself or the ones he loved. All because he got softer and overconfident on a power that wasn't truly his. The power of the Knight of Avalon…

He needed to discover himself as the Ascalonian he was…

She felt his emptiness… His sorrow…

"Siegfried…" She said to herself, clenching her right fist in front of her heart. "I'm gonna find you…"

Miles and miles away, flying at a breakneck speed, looking like a silver shooting star, Siegfried and Angelus crossed the skies towards the Elf's Desert, with only a book to guide then. The road beneath the pair was almost empty, except by something that looked like a merchant chariot, which looked like being robbed.

Sieg's first thought was to let those people alone. Not his problem to solve. But something inside him forced the redhead to stop.

His sense of righteousness was still the same, at least.

Angelus landed in front of the caravan, lifting dust and sand, and Siegfried, with a single glimpse of the scene, saw everything he needed to see before taking action.

Four bandits, against a couple of merchants, four dead horses by the roadside.

Using the dust as camouflage, the redhead drew his scimitar and advanced against the closer enemy, striking the back of his neck with the blade and taking his sword, just to throw it at the chest of the second bandit, who was ready to kill the woman merchant.

Two down, two to go.

" _I, The One About to Awaken…"_ a deep voice echoed inside Sieg's mind.

He cursed. It was not the time for something like that, and ignored what he heard.

The two remaining bandits advanced against the redhead, he leaned backwards and kicked the two at the same time, falling to the ground but getting up at almost the same instant.

Sieg used his sword to cut one of the bandits at the waist line, but the other one somehow managed to approach Sieg from behind, with a knife in hands.

He was already too close, the scimitar's blade would not be able to slash him, and the pommel was to light to cause a significant damage.

Sieg prepared to receive the strike, but then remembered something about Urick…

How he used his elbows and knees to fight at close ranges.

Sieg dodged the knife and buried his knee at the bandit's stomach, striking the man's head with his elbow just after, and with a uppercut at his chin, gained distance enough to use his sword, vertically slashing the enemy, and ending the fight.

Why he remembered Urick's fighting style at a time like this?

"It's not important…" Sieg said to himself. "Are you two alright?"

"Yes thanks to you." The man, with black hair and a thick beard, said, bowing to Siegfried. "But our horses are not. We won't reach the Elven Desert in time now."

"What are you going to do there?" Sieg started to plan something.

"We sell human artifacts to an elf researcher, Lady Luctiana of Nephthys…" The woman, blond and with blue eyes, answered. "This time we have even a special item for her daughter, Lady Brianne."

"I'm going to the Elven Desert just like you." Sieg said just after hearing the name of the Ascalonian researcher. "I need to see Lady Brianne."

"Well travelling with you would make the roads far more safe for us, and, as you can see, my wife is pregnant…" The man said, and only than Sieg's noticed the woman's big, round belly. "But without our horses we can't leave, and you have your dragon."

"Yes, I have Angelus." Sieg said. "Take what you need to take and she will get us to Brianne and Luctiana."

"Are you serious?" The man asked, perplexed.

"I will make the road safe for you and your wife, and you take me straight to Brianne." The redhead answered. "I know where she lives, but having someone who knows her will definitely help me to talk to her."

"Dear, something in my heart is saying that we can trust this man." The woman said, looking at Sieg's eyes. "My name is Isabella, and this is my husband, Duncan."

"And you?" Duncan asked.

"My name is Sieghart, but call me Sieg." Sieg just said a name that could use his own nickname, only to avoid any uncomfortable situation.

"Then it's settled, we are travelling together now." Said Duncan, shaking Sieg's hand. "Just give us some moments to take what we need ok? Honey, help me inside the cart."

Isabella and Duncan entered the cart, leaving Sieg alone. The redhead just climbed to his dragon's back and waited for the couple.

"Isabella, are you sure we can trust him?" Duncan whispered. "He saved us, but we could've handled the situation alone and we don't know this guy."

"Duncan, he haves the blood of Bahamut on his veins just like us. I felt it." Isabella said, surprising her husband. "But his gift is far stronger than ours, strong enough to face Urick's gift. It's just sleeping inside him."

"Do you think he is the one we were looking for?" Duncan asked. "He doesn't look like someone that would be called Red Dragon…"

"I already said that his gift is still sleeping." Isabella said with a voice that looked like a plea. "Don't you remember what Bahamut ordered when inside our dreams?"

"Awake my son, the Red Dragon, and bring him and the elf who wishes to know to our home. The Day of First Roar is near." Duncan repeated the words he and his wife heard some months ago. "Then we will take him to Brianne, and then straight to Ascalon."

"Settled." Isabella said with a smile on her lips. "Just take some coins and some clothes. Let's pretend those are what Lady Brianne wants."

"I really hope you're right…" Duncan said, taking what his wife pointed and putting everything inside of a bag, getting out of the cart just after.

"Sieg, we are ready." Isabella said to the redhead. "Are you sure your dragon can take us three?"

"Pretty sure." Sieg said, giving his hand to help the pregnant woman, while Duncan helped her at the ground. "Angelus is a strong girl."

The dragon roared, as if showing her strength to the couple. Duncan smiled, but without letting Sieg or Isabella seeing it.

Once the three were accommodated on the dragon's back, Sieg snapped the reins, and the silver creature took flight with a single wing beat, and quickly reached its dull speed.

"She's fast!" Duncan yelled. "At this speed we can go across Germania before the sunset!"

"How long till the elves?" Sieg asked, without taking his eyes off of the horizon.

"If you keep this speed…" Duncan made a pause to think. "Tomorrow."

"Good." Sieg said, tightening his grip at the reins. "Just wait a little longer Claire."

The last part he just whispered, letting the powerful winds silence the words. Neither Duncan or Isabella needed to hear what he said.

At that time, Saito and Louise where already at the Magic Academy, and inside Oastland, just waiting for Colbert to finish the preparations for the journey. Claire was with Elizabeth at the ship's deck, trying to establish any type of communication with Suguru, Setsuna and Jack.

The trio was at Germania's capital solving a personal problem of Jack, and were the only ones missing to complete the team.

Claire knew Angelus's speed, and she knew very well that Siegfried would reach the Elven Desert by the next day or so. By luck the Germania's capital was at the fastest route to the Desert, and they wouldn't lose any time by landing there to take the rest of the team, and could even use this as a strategically planned landing to replenish supplies.

"We finished unpacking our things." Louise said to her daughter once she got to the ship's deck. "Stay calm, we will find him."

"Angelus is fast, far faster than Oastland." Claire said. "He will be at the Elven Desert by tomorrow or so."

"Even if he gets there before us, he will still be there." Saito tried to comfort his daughter. "Your mother and I are friends of some elves there, once Siegfried land at their territory, we will find him without problems."

"Pay attention everyone." Colbert's voice was heard by the entire ship. His newly invented internal communication device was working perfectly. "The Oastland will take up flight right now."

With those words, the ship began to gain altitude, and in a matter of seconds was amidst the blue sky. The journey had began.

OoOoOoOoO

Far from Claire, and not so far from Siegfried, two blonde female elves looked to a stone tablet.

"I'm sure this is about The Day of First Roar." The younger of them said. "If this drawing doesn't represent Bahamut judging the fight between the two Champions, I will give up of my life as researcher!"

"Brianne, your right." The older one answered. "But do you see any inscriptions there? Something like a date? Or even any sign you could look for?"

It contained a drawing of an enormous bipedal dragon, wearing some type of armor and holding a spear on his right hand. At his feat were two men, wearing very similar armors, fighting against each other. The dragon was just a spectator…

"It is coming… I know it mother." Brianne said, putting the tablet on a table and looking to her window. "I can feel it."

"Your instincts were never wrong until today, if you think it is near, you're probably right." Luctiana said to her daughter. "But without any lead to follow you're stuck, there's no use in get stressed over it."

"Mother, I discovered so many things about the Ascalonians." Brianne said, visibly discouraged. "I can't give up right now, when I'm about to uncover the truth about the greatest ritual of their culture!"

"I'm not telling you to give up." Luctiana said after a deep sigh. "But dear try to understand. My research had the help of living beings. If there is any living Ascalonian, they aren't more than twenty. You must discover everything on your own, and you already did much more than anyone could imagine."

"I discovered they could use Thaumaturgy, that they shared their essence with their dragons, that Bahamut's blood manifested different powers on each Ascalonian, I even discovered that the son of an Ascalonian would always be a pure blood, even if one of the parents were a normal human, a mage or even an elf.." Brianne remembered, what she had discovered about those ancient warriors. "But this is nothing compared to the Day of First Roar! Do you know why it is called like that?"

"No…" Luctiana sighed. Once her daughter began to talk about her research, nothing could make her stop. "Why?"

"Because on this day a new lineage of kings is chosen!" Brianne answered her mother, opening an old scroll and showing something. "My research indicates that every three thousand years, the sun and the two moons get lined, and Bahamut judges a fight between two Ascalonians he himself chose. The winner of this fight becomes the first of a new lineage of kings! The first of a lineage that will last three thousand years!"

"And what is this Skyhold thing?" Luctiana asked about a name her daughter wrote at the very ending of the scroll. "You never told anything about that."

"I'm not sure yet, some writings says it is a palace, others say that it is in fact a weapon of mass destruction." Brianne said, crossing her arms. "Once one of the Champions defeat the other, he gains control over the Skyhold. That is why I need to know when the Day of First Roar will be! I will be able to know not just about this fighting ritual but about Skyhold too!"

"You're stubborn just like your mother." Luctiana chuckled. "There is no use in crushing your brain with this. Take a break, a deep breath and rest a little bit. The answer will come to you in time." Luctiana gave a kiss at her daughter's forehead and took her leave.

Brianne sighed heavily and looked through the window of her room. The oasis outside her house was calling for her, with its fresh waters shining with the sun's light. It was a hot day, even at Nephthys, as they called their desert.

"No use crushing my brain with this." She got up off her chair and took off her clothes. "Maybe a little dive will help to refresh my mind."

And with that, she left her room, and jumped inside the natural pool.

The eyes of the titanic dragon on the stone tablet began to shine, one with a blood red color, the other with a deep blue color, and stopped after one single second.

No one would be able to see it, but the two warriors got a little bit closer to each other.


	3. The Stars of The Night Sky

Chapter 3 – The Stars of the Night Sky

The moon was once more on the sky, but this time, sharing the dark stage with countless stars. Like Duncan said, the trio crossed Germania before the sunset, and at night, was already above the desert.

Siegfried heard about how much cold were the nights in the desert, but nothing could prepare him for what he was feeling on his skin. On that moment, all he could think about was a warm place to rest, and by chance, Isabella's voice brought the most pleasant news to his ears.

"See that little shack over there?" She asked pointing to a really small oasis. "It's our home. Let's spend the night there."

"Good." Sieg said, mentally thanking the woman as much as he could. "Angelus is a bit tired too."

"Make her land then." Duncan said in agreement. "And let's drink something hot to warm our bodies."

Sieg whistled, and the dragon began to fly in circles, slowly getting closer and closer to the ground until finally landing. Once the trio dismounted, Angelus used a small fire breath to warm up the sand and laid down to finally fall asleep.

Inside the shack, Duncan lit some candles and pointed to a chair on the side of a wooden round table and said to Sieg sit down a bit, while Isabella prepared something to eat.

"Well mister Zweihander, our home is humble but will protect us from the cold." Duncan said, purposely mentioning the redhead's surname.

"I don't remember telling you my last name…" Sieg got suspicious, getting ready to fight once more.

"No need to. Now that I took a good look at you I can see clearly." Duncan said, smiling. "You're the spitting image of your father. Except by the hair of course, it's the same as your mother's."

"Duncan!" Isabella protested, she didn't think it was the best time for revelations.

"He would need to know sooner or later." Duncan replied gently. "Sooner saves us a lot of trouble."

Sieg got really surprised by those words. More surprised than ever.

"Did you know my parents?" The redhead managed to squeeze out some words.

"Your father more than your mother, but yes, I knew them." Duncan answered. "I take you didn't right?"

"No…" Sieg said, remembering the voices he heard when he was trying to fuse the Victory Bringer, their voices. "Never."

"We will have much time to talk about them if you want to." Duncan felt a little sorry for the young man, but they had a mission to complete. "No more lies from now on ok? Could you tell me your true name?"

"Siegfried." Sieg answered. "Siegfried Zweihander."

"Your father's name…" Duncan said, remembering his old friend. "Tell me Siegfried, what do you know about the Ascalonians?"

"Not much." Sieg answered. "Just about the High Dragons blood and the Thaumaturgic Circuit. I know how to use mine in battle but that's all."

"You're not totally right about the dragon blood, but you're not totally wrong either." Isabella said, offering a cup of hot tea to the redhead. "We carry the blood of Bahamut, the Ancient God of Dragons, also known as the High Dragon. Modern society thinks there were various High Dragons in the past, but it's not true."

"Wait a minute." Sieg said before even taking his tea cup. "Did you say 'we'?"

"Yes, we." Duncan answered. "We two are Ascalonians just like you, but Isabella is from a different lineage."

"Lineage? What do you mean?" Sieg was completely lost.

"Bahamut's blood gives different abilities to each Ascalonian depending on his lineage, abilities that are passed down from father to son. There are three lineages." Duncan explained. "You are from a lineage that was called _Shivalta_ , or warriors, just like me. We have the capacity to use thaumaturgy without any risks, learn combat styles far easily than anyone else and merge our essence with our dragon's, achieving what we call Dragon Overdrive."

"I am a _Fharena_ , a priest." Isabella said, also sitting down, at the side of her husband. "I don't have the powers you have, but I can sense the lineage of any other Ascalonian, sense their powers, heal almost any injury or disease, and sometimes see the future."

"The last lineage is called _Ginava_ , the sages." Duncan said after Isabella stopped talking. "A _Ginava_ may be born a _Shivalta_ or a _Fharena_ , but they start to manifest different powers since childhood. The sages live tremendous long lives, are the only Ascalonians capable of using conventional magic, and are the spiritual leaders of our people. Above them is only the _Ashok Val,_ the King of Skies."

"Stop! Too much information right here!" Sieg made the couple stop talking. "I got the thing about lineages; it's like a caste or something like that, but what the hell is Dragon Overdrive? And who is this King of Skies?"

Duncan and Isabella held back a hearty laugh.

Those terms were natural to them, but Sieg was hearing it for the first time and they completely forgot about that.

"The Dragon Overdrive, or _Surin Aleyma_ , like it was called, is the most powerful weapon of an Ascalonian warrior." Duncan began to explain. "Once in Dragon Overdrive, the Shivalta's essence merges with the essence of his dragon, and the two become one single being, far more powerful than any other thing."

"And the Ashok Val is the King of Ascalon, the leader of all Ascalonians." It was Isabella's turn to speak. "We don't know why, but the Ascalonians are without a king for three thousand years. If this haves something to do with our near extinction, I'm not sure, but I know a new Ashok Val will appear soon."

"How?" Sieg asked, and then remembered something Urick said. "This has something to do with The Day of First Roar?"

"Everything to do." Isabella answered. "The Day of First Roar is the day when two Ascalonias, chosen by Bahamut himself, fight each other for the title of King of Skies, starting a new dynasty that will least more three thousand years, until another Day of First Roar comes."

"Two Ascalonians chosen by Bahamut himself." Duncan repeated de exact same words. "You and Urick Schneider."

"I can't fight Urick." Sieg said, lowering his head and trying to hide his anger. "He already crushed me once. If we fight again, I doubt the outcome will be different, unless I learn how to fight like an Ascalonian."

"That's why Bahamut sent us after you." Isabella said. "He talks with all Ascalonians trough our dreams, and ordered us to find and prepare you to the Day of First Roar."

"Your father taught me everything I know, and I shall pass it down to you." Duncan said with a proud voice. "I saw how well you fight with a sword earlier today, but you never fought with bare hands, did you?"

"No, I always trained to fight with swords and other weapons." Sieg answered. "But I have to confess, I was trying to mimic Urick's fighting style… The style he used to defeat me so easily."

"It is called _Surin Atosh_ , the most ancient fighting form of the Ascalon Shivalta." Duncan said the name of that fighting style. As if there were not enough weird names to learn. "If you wish to defeat Urick and become Ashok Val, you will need to master this style before anything else."

"I don't wish to become Ashok Val, I just want to defeat Urick and protect my wife." Sieg said with all the words he wanted. He never cared about titles and political power, and never would. "But if defeating that bastard means I must become King, so be it."

"You will change your mind about being Ashok Val… In time…" Isabella said with a smile on her face. "Well my love, we should rest. Tomorrow we must take Lady Brianne with us and go straight to Ascalon."

"Take her with us?" Sieg thought that was weird. "What do you mean?"

"Our kind is near extinction Sieg, and the ones who are alive don't know much about our culture. What Duncan and I told you is everything we know about the Ascalonians… About ourselves…" Isabella said, with a hint of sadness on her voice. "Lady Brianne is a great researcher, she discovered so many things about our culture, about our people, that it makes her as much Ascalonian as any of us. Bahamut thinks the same way, and ordered us to take her to Ascalon to witness what he called 'the revival of my sons and daughters'."

For a moment Sieg stopped. He was feeling empty, powerless, unworthy, useless, without an identity. He never tough there were other people who felt like him, but there were…

All the Ascalonians.

"I think I understand…" Sieg said, feeling closer to the couple, to his people. "How many of us are still out there?"

"Counting the ones with Urick, no more than one hundred." Isabella answered. "And if Urick becomes Ashok Val, he will brand the other who didn't sided with him as traitors and execute them, diminishing our number even more."

"And he says he wants to save our kind…" Duncan said, disgusted. "He just wants revenge against the mages."

"What the mages did against us?" Sieg finally asked. "I'm married to a mage, I need to know."

"You'll have to ask this to the Ginava once we reach Ascalon." Isabella answered. "Only he will answer you with the truth."

Sieg took a deep breath. His plan was to travel to the Elven Desert to discover more about his powers and maybe be able to fight Urick, but now he would need to travel even more far, to a lost land. More far from Claire then he would want to go.

"And when we begin my training?" The redhead asked.

"Tomorrow is a special day to the elves, when the young ones drink a special elixir to become nearly immortals. They won't let us leave before the end of their festivities." Duncan answered. "I don't like such things, too formal for me, and if you're like your father on this matter too, I bet you don't like it either. I can teach you while the elves do what they need to do."

OoOoOoOoO

Far from the desert, The Oastland had landed; ready to take Jack, Setsuna and the Old Suguru onboard and replenish the supplies they would need for such a long journey.

Claire was looking to the wedding ring on her finger, imagining what Siegfried would be doing at that time? Where could he already be?

"The stars are beautiful tonight." A female voice said, behind Claire. "Colbert told me an old Ascalonian legend about stars. Wanna hear it?"

"Beth?" Claire asked, looking behind and seeing her friend. "A legend about stars?"

"Yes, he said it was written in the book he gave to Siegfried." Elizabeth answered. "The Ascalonians believed that their ancestors never abandoned them. They believed that when an Ascalonian dies, his soul travel very high in the sky, and the light of his deeds in life illuminate the night. Thus, the stars are the souls of all the Ascalonians who lived before, and they keep their eyes on us, for ever vigilant."

Claire looked up, to the thousands and thousands of shining dots on the black veil of the night. "Then Sieg's father is up there? Protecting him?"

"That's what the legend says." Beth smiled. "I think it's a beautiful thought."

"What are you two doing here?" Louise said, preparing to tell the girls to go to bed. "Oh sorry, I sometimes forget you are both adults now."

"No harm done mom." Claire said in response. "Beth was telling me an Ascalonian legend about the stars."

"And a good one, by the look of your face." Louise smiled gently.

"Hey Pinky!" Setsuna greeted her friend, waving one hand. "Long time huh?"

"Yes, three years already." Claire answered. "Where are Jack and Suguru?"

"Oh the old woman was sleepy, then Jack is accompanying her to her room, but will be here soon." The green eyed girl said. "So tell me, what Siegfried did this time?"

"On short, he is searching for new powers. His Ascalonian powers." Claire said. "I can explain things with more details later."

"Wasn't he powerful enough already?" Setsuna asked, incredulous. "I remember very well what you both did against Colossus."

"That power wasn't his…" Claire said with sadness on her voice. "It flowed from Avalon to him using Lady Vivian as a connection…"

"Then when Vivian disappeared, he lost those powers…" Setsuna completed the sentence. "But he still haves the Infinite Soul Blades and the Unbreakable Union…"

"He couldn't use any of this when…" Claire couldn't say anything about the fight against Urick. "He lost his will to fight."

"If I know that redhead, and I know him very well…" Setsuna saw Claire's face and decided to cheer her up. "He is afraid that he can't protect you anymore, but will show up with something big and crush whatever gets in his way."

"That's just like him." Elizabeth admitted. "I don't know how he does it, but he does."

"See?" Louise asked. "It's just a matter of time. He will be back."

The ship trembled, and began to gain altitude. Finally the supplies were on their place and the group could continue their journey.

Claire sighed relived. For her, each minute there standing still, was like an hour. She knew very well that she was too far of her final point yet, but with each meter the Oastland travelled, her hopes grew bigger.

"Sometimes I ask myself…" Louise broke the silence. "Why Siegfried goes out flying with Angelus so many times in a day?"

"Then you look at the sky and imagine the feeling of being so near the clouds and the sun, or the stars and the moon, and you realize that if you had the opportunity of being so close of the sky, you would do the same thing he does." Claire said. She knew that feeling too well. "I ask myself the same thing, sometimes, and then I remember the feeling of being here in the Oastland, among the clouds."

"He always liked the sky." Setsuna said. "In childhood, he spent hours gazing the hawks flying, and saying he wished to have wings of his own… That's why we started calling him Black Hawk."

"You can take the dragon of the sky, but can't take the sky of the dragon." Claire said, feeling her heart warming up. "I think its how it goes."

"But you are his sky too." Setsuna said, surprising her friend. "When he looks at you, his eyes are the same eyes that little kid had when watching the hawks."

Claire blushed heavily, becoming as red as her husband's hair. Even after three years of marriage she wasn't completely used to hear such things. Especially when out of the blue.

"You have to say this in front of all the ancestors of my husband!?" Claire almost shouted, pointing to the sky. "It's embarrassing enough without them hearing it!"

"What?" Setsuna and Louise asked together.

"Ascalonians believed their ancestors became stars after death." Elizabeth explained while holding back a laugh.

"Oooooh." Setsuna said, ready to make more fun of the pink head. "Then every time you and Siegfried kissed, cuddled and did other lovely things under the night sky, there were countless dead Ascalonians watching everything! Including your father-in-law!"

"Setsuna!" Claire really shouted this time. "I'll never again let Sieg touch me unless there is a roof on top of our heads! And a really thick roof!"

"Setsuna, you're being mean." Louise said, but couldn't help but giggle. "You know Claire is naive."

"If you are up there, please forgive me and forget everything you saw!" Claire said, looking to the stars and with her hands together, as if in a pray. "And please… Protect my stupid husband and help him become stronger…"

Claire's mood changed drastically. She was no longer embarrassed… There was another feeling in her heart on that time…

"So he can come back to his home." She added to her pray.

"Don't worry." Elizabeth said, putting her hand on her friend's shoulder. "I'm sure they will hear you."

A thunderous roar was heard. Claire, Elizabeth, Setsuna and Louise run to the side of the deck to see from where that sound came from, and got really surprised with what they saw.

Flying faster than any other thing could, dozens of Silver Dragons, the same species as Angelus, passed above, below and by the sides of the Oastland.

Claire's eyes widened, her jaw dropped.

Males, females, adults, cubs and seniors, flying so fast that appeared to be silver shooting stars on the night sky.

"Silver Dragons!?" Colbert went to the deck to see the reason of the loud noise he heard, and was mesmerized by what he was seeing. "How could be so many of them!?"

"I don't know! Aren't they supposed to be the mounts of the Ascalonians!?" Louise couldn't believe in her eyes. "They are beautiful…"

"Look at these dragons!" Saito, who went to the deck with Colbert, pointed to the dragons. "Where could they be going!?"

"I don't know…" Claire said, with teary eyes. "But I know it's a good sign…"

"What are you talking about Claire?" Beth asked. "Do you mean…"

"The stars Beth… The stars…" Claire looked up to the sky once more. The stars appeared to be shining stronger. "Thank you."

"We must save this moment in our hearts." Colbert said, seeing the dragons fly away. The Oastland wouldn't be able to keep up with their speed. "Sadly we won't be able to follow them."

" _Follow your heart, Void Daughter."_ Whispered a voice inside Claire's mind. _"For you carry two of my Shivalta inside of you...And they know the way…"_

"We don't need to." Claire said. "If we find Siegfried, I'm sure we will see those dragons again."

"And how could you know that?" Saito asked. "Did he tell you anything about that?"

"No father." Claire answered. "I just have a feeling."

OoOoOoOoO

In a place far from Halkeginia and far from the Elven Desert, mountains stood proud amidst the mist. The light of the moon illuminated the peak of the mountains, coloring everything with pale tones. The silence was absolute, except by the sweet sound of a bamboo flute by the side of a lake on the peak of one of those mountains.

The flute was in the hands of a beautiful woman, dressed with a long purple dress with white sleeves. Her hair was tied in a bun, with a loose strand on each side of her face. Her skin was as pale as the moon above her, and her eyes were yellow in color, remembering the ones of a wild animal.

The water of the lake was disturbed, by nothing on the surface, but on its deepness, and the young woman stopped playing her instrument, gazing the lake with serene eyes.

Urick emerged, and the girl smiled.

"Are you ok?" She asked with a gentle voice.

"Yes." He answered, swimming to the lakeshore. "Meditating always gives me the answers I need."

"And what answer did you get?" She asked while putting her flute on a wooden, ornamented box. "Taron and Kiera are hunting; they won't come back so soon, then we have time to chat."

"The dragons were hungry huh? Let them be." Urick said, finally out of the water and dressing his clothes. "The answer is that I was right about not killing Siegfried."

"And why do you say that?" The woman asked another thing. "You were cursing yourself for not killing him since we left that school."

"Because it was not right to kill him before the Day of First Roar. Our kind is in such situation because of a treachery like this. And…" Urick stopped for a moment, pondering if he should say what he was thinking. "He still is an Ascalonian, he still is one of my brothers, and he deserves the honor of being killed in a true combat. He was chosen by Bahamut despite being married to a disgusting mage, and then he must have something of valor on his heart."

"You are the only one I know that can think in such ways." The girl said, leaning her head on the shoulder of the man who just sat by her side. "That's why you gonna be a great Ashok Val."

"Am I?" Urick giggled. "And still there are some of us that want Siegfried to become Ashok Val…"

"Because they don't see that if the mages have another chance of doing what they did, they won't save any resources to take our power to their own!" The woman got a little angry. "And it doesn't matter what they want, as long as you have your Dragon Overdrive Siegfried won't stand a chance against you! He will never learn how to achieve this state without years of training!"

"Calm down Serena." Urick said, stroking the girl's black hair. "The ones who don't support me as the Ashok Val won't have a chance to rebel, if this is what you're thinking."

Two roars were heard, and two silver dragons appeared on the sky, as if dancing together. Urick saw the dragons and sighed relieved; he knew how angry Serena got every time the topics 'Ashok Val' and 'Mages' appeared during their chats.

She didn't understand how some Ascalonians could not desire for revenge against the mages, how they could not see Urick as the only one worthy to be called King of Skies. To her, it was fear of taking action.

An Ascalonian, who didn't support Urick, was no true Ascalonian.

But it never crossed her min that, in truth, many of those who were following Urick didn't want revenge…

They only wanted someone to lead them to their former glory; anyone honored enough to be called Ashok Val.

OoOoOoOoO


End file.
